Capela dos Ossos, or the Chapel of Bones gives you a completely new perspective of worshipping the Lord. A place of worship that has been wholly decorated with bones – that’s the only way to describe this unique place.
Location:The Chapel of Bones was built adjacent to the Church dedicated to St. Francis in Evora, a medieval town in Portugal. It was constructed in the 16th century and consists of a large room, the walls of which have been embedded with the bones of nearly 5,000 monks.
The History: The legend says that the town of Evora had almost 43 cemeteries in the 16th century. The consumption of land was so much that it was decided to demolish some of the graveyards. These cemeteries had some 5,000 monks buried in them. Since it was believed that the total destruction of their bones could condemn their souls to eternal damnation, they were exhumed and the remnants were transferred to the Capela dos Ossos.
The question arose as to what was to be done with the bones. Evora was a wealthy town with high social morale. Hence the monks who were in charge decided that rather than enclose the bones in a confined chamber, exhibiting them would be a better idea as a constant reminder of man’s mortality. Thus was created a meditation room where the bones remain as an everlasting homage to death, reminding man of the folly of this material world.
The message that is engraved in Portuguese at the entrance which on translation reads, “We bones that are here, for your bones we wait” clearly indicate the intention behind the construction of the Chapel of Bones.
The Chapel of Bones, though a place of reverence, has a creepy atmosphere which generates an initial reaction of fear rather than adoration.
